Dené (Athabascan) Languages
Dena’ina (Dena’ina Qenaga)
Dena’ina is the traditional language of the Cook Inlet and the Kenai Peninsula. The name Dena’ina comes from two parts: dena meaning person and ina, the human plural marker in Dena’ina. About 50 people can speak the language. Dena’ina language classes are held at Kenai Peninsula College and at the University of Alaska Anchorage.
Dena’ina, like many other Alaska languages, is polysynthetic, meaning a whole sentence can be expressed with just one word. For example, the single word nuntnghel'ił means ‘I will see you again,’
| Dena'ina | Click to Listen | English |
| Naghe Nduninyu | You came to us (traditional way of greeting a visitor), welcome | |
| Chin'an | Thank you | |
| Aa' | Yes | |
| Nch'u | No | |
| Yaghali du? | How are you? (Are you fine?) | |
| Aa', yaghali eshlan, ninki du? | Yes, I am fine, and you? | |
| Aa', yaghali eshlan, chin'an. | Yes, I am fine, thank you. | |
| Ughast'yi | Hurry up | |
| Nitsut | Sit down |
External links:
Kahtnuht’ana Qenaga Learner's Site
How We Made Summer Fish Camp
Deg Xinag (Deg Xinag)
Deg Xinag is the traditional language of Deg Hit’an Athabaskans in four villages on the Lower Yukon River: Shageluk, Anvik, Holy Cross and Grayling. There are no longer any speakers in Holy Cross or Anvik. It is spoken by 14 people in Shageluk and Grayling.
| Deg Xinag (no audio) | English |
| Dogedinh | Thank you |
| Gan gon? | What is that? |
| Ndadz dengit'a? | How are you? |
| Xełedz dist'a | I'm fine |
| Chenh ditr'al iy | Next time (goodbye) |
| E | Yes |
| Enagh iy | No |
| Deg Xinag dindldig vantr'alnilay | So we will remember Deg Xinag |
External Links:
Deg Xinag Learner’s Dictionary
Alaskool.com resources
Holikachuk (Doogh Qinag)
Holikachuk is the traditional language of the former village of the same name. In the 1960s, residents of Holikachuk moved to Grayling, where some speakers lived until very recently. Probably the last fluent speaker of Holikachuk, Wilson “Tiny” Deacon, passed away in 2012.
Holikachuk is an intermediary between Koyukon and Deg Xinag Athabascan. Although typologically more similar to Koyukon, the language was often in close contact with Deg Xinag, and many learned it as a second language.
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Holikachuk |
Click to listen |
English |
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Etla, s'coy |
Hello, my grandchild |
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Da'ent'a |
How are you? |
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Xaledz estlan |
I'm good |
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Ama estlan |
I'm sick |
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Dant'anh? |
What are you doing? |
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Dzanh gitay nizune |
Very nice day |
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Ndadz ni'ooz |
What is your name? |
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S'ooze Elizabeth |
My name is Elizabeth |
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Distsan |
I'm hungry |
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Dalik |
Be quiet (strong sentiment, like shut up) |
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Dimalo xaledz enlan |
I hope you are well |
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Nqah esta |
I love you (said to significant other) |
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Dogadinh |
Thank you |
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Dimalo s'kinaq xinishayh |
I wish I could speak my language |
Upper Kuskokwim (Dinak’i)
Upper Kuskokwim is spoken in the villages of Telida, Nikolai and McGrath, where 25 people speak the language. With the help of a grant from the Administration for Native Americans, Upper Kuskokwim established a comprehensive website to preserve linguistic and cultural knowledge of the people of the Kuskokwim River drainage.
| Upper Kuskokwim (no audio) | English |
| Do’ent’a? | How are you? |
| Si’it huztsunh | I'm fine |
| Aha | Yes |
| No' | No |
| One' | Come here |
External Links:
Upper Kuskokwim Language Preservation Project
Denaakk'e (Denaakk’enaage’)
Denaakk'e (or Koyukon) Athabascan is spoken by 150 people along the central Koyukuk and Yukon rivers, in the villages of Kaltag, Nulato, Galena, Ruby, Koyukuk, Tanana, Huslia, Hughes, Allakaket and Stevens Village. It is divided into three dialects: Lower, Central and Upper Koyukon.
| enaakk'e | Click to Listen | English |
| Do'eent'aa? | How are you? | |
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Eszoonh (Yukon dialect) Do'eelstaa'aa (Koyukuk dialect) |
I'm fine | |
| Dzaanh nezoonh | It's a good day | |
| Baasee' | Thank you | |
| Enaa neenyo | Welcome (lit. precious you came) | |
| Ggenaa' | Friend | |
| Nedaats'e koonh | See you later | |
| Sodelts'eeyh | I'm happy | |
| Doogh dzaanh dohoot'aa? | How is the weather? | |
| Denaakk'e hedohudege'eeh | I'm learning Denaakk'e |
External Links:
Koyukon Junior Dictionary
Denaakkenaage’ Facebook group
Tanana (Menhti Kenaga)
Tanana Athabascan (also known as Lower Tanana) is spoken in the villages of Nenana and Minto by about 25 remaining speakers. In the past, it was also spoken in Salcha and Chena Village, near Fairbanks.
| Tanana (no audio) | English |
| Do'eent'aa? | Hello, how are you? |
| Maasee' | Thank you |
| Betlanh | His friend |
| Kokht’ana dot’anhł | What is the man doing? |
| Srudel’oł | He is playing |
Gwich’in (Dinjii Zhuh K’yaa)
Gwich’in is the most northern Athabascan language in Alaska, spoken in the far Northeast, and in Northwestern Yukon. About 300 Gwitch’in speak the language in Alaska, and another 350 speak the language in Canada.
The caribou or vadzaih is of extreme importance to Gwich’in people. Elders have been able to identify more than 150 Gwich’in names for caribou bones, organs and tissues.
| Gwich'in | Click to Listen | English |
| Neenjit dôonch'yàa? | Hello, how are you? | |
| Sheenjit gwiinzìi | I'm fine | |
| Hai' | Thank you | |
| Nakhwal'in shoo ihłii | I'm happy to see you | |
| Shijyaa | My friend | |
| Aanaįį shaa dhindii | Come and sit/visit with me | |
| Neenihaal'yaa | See you again | |
| Łyâa neet'ih than | I love you |
External Links:
Yukon Native Language Center
Gwich’in Caribou Anatomy
Hän (Häɬ goɬan)
The Han language is spoken by just two speakers in the village of Eagle, Alaska and by a few more in Dawson City, Yukon. It is most related to Gwich’in and was used as a lingua franca by several Native groups during the Gold Rush era.
Hän has four lexical tones: a low tone, a high tone, a rising tone and a falling tone.
| Hän (no audio) | English |
| Nänjit dähònche? | How are you |
| Shänjit hǫzǫ | I'm fine |
| Dìndąy' | What are you doing? |
| Nijaa | Our friends |
| Mahsi' | Thank you |
External Links:
Yukon Native Language Center
Tanacross (Nee’aanděg’)
Tanacross is spoken by 50 people in the villages of Healy Lake, Dot Lake and Tanacross. It is divided into two dialects: Mansfield and Healy Lake-Joseph Village. Tanacross continues to be the daily language spoken among the elderly, but few children speak or understand the language.
| Tanacross (no audio) | English |
| Nts'é t'ínt'eh? | How are you? (one person) |
| Nts'é t'áht'eh? | How are you? (more than one person) |
| Ihsᶙᶙ | I'm well |
| Tsín'ęę | Thank you |
| Tsíná'ęę | Thank you very much |
External Links:
Tanacross Learner’s Dictionary Online
Tanacross Learner’s Dictionary Application
Upper Tanana (Neeʼaandeegnʼ)
Upper Tanana is spoken by Athabascans in Tok, Tetlin and Northway, as well as in the Scottie Creek Drainage in the Yukon. Upper Tanana is mutually intelligible with Tanacross, but uses a low lexical tone where Tanacross would use a high lexical tone. The language is spoken by 55 people in Alaska and about as many in Canada.
| Upper Tanana (no audio) | English |
| Nts'ąą' dįįt'eh? | How are you? |
| Suu' | Good, fine |
| Tsen-'įį | Thank you |
| ąą' | Yes |
| Kol | No |
External Links:
Yukon Native Language Center
Ahtna (Atnakenaege’)
Ahtna is spoken by 25 speakers in the Copper River region in Interior Alaska. It is closely related to Dena’ina. There are four main dialects of Ahtna: Lower (Atnahwt’aene), Central Dan’ehwt’aene, Western (Tsaay Hwt’aene) and Upper Ahtna (Tatl’ahwt’aene). Subsistence activist Katie John helped to create an orthography for Ahtna in the 1970s.
| Ahtna | Click to Listen | English |
| Nts'e di'tae? | How are you (singular)? | |
| Ugheli ełaen | I'm good | |
| Nts'e doht'ae? | How are you (plural)? | |
| Ugheli ts'ilaen | We are good | |
| Aen | Yes | |
| Kole | No | |
| Xonahang | Goodbye | |
| Tsin'aen | Thank you | |
| Nune'sniic | I love you (to significant other) | |
| Siine k'e nadae | I love you (to family members, etc) |
External Links:
Ahtna Phrase of the Day
*Images courtesy of the Alaska Native Language Archive